Fragments of Twilight
by Diabolical Pie
Summary: Midna wasn't just angry at him. She was furious. She had everything so perfectly planned out and he just had to jump in and ruin it all. She wanted to scream and tear his hair out and tell him what an enormous idiot he was. But most of all she wanted to hug him and cry, because she couldn't have imagined abandoning him. What happens when Link doesn't follow destiny? Updates Mondays
1. Chapter 1: Friends

The Twilight Princess didn't make _friends._

It wasn't that she was incapable of making friends, mind you. She'd just never had the patience or the time. Honest! Link didn't count- he was more like her slave than her friend, really.

Still, as dubious as her own social skills might have been, they were infinitely more refined than Link's. Midna sighed from the young man's shadow as Link tried to purchase some bombs and arrows with nothing but grunts, nods, and pointing gestures. The Twili pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation- this went beyond being socially awkward. This was just embarrassing.

"I'm sorry.. you want… what now…?" the shopkeeper stared at Link in utter confusion. The hero's cheeks burned brightly as he pointed insistently at the bombs behind the counter with a crimson rupee in hand. The shopkeeper frowned at his strange customer, took his money, and began to gather ten bombs into a loose sack.

He placed the wares onto the counter and Link picked them up wordlessly. The young man then turned around and ran out the door with his arms full, practically kicking up dust with his speed as he bustled away.

Link shielded his eyes from the morning glare of the sun as he ran out into the busy streets of Castle Town. He slung the sack full of explosives over his shoulder and slowed his pace to a walk as he started to make his way down to the southern gate, keeping to the shadows beneath the overhanging roofs of buildings. Midna's translucent figure materialized at his shoulder, and she reached out to pinch his cheek. "You didn't even get the arrows you needed, Link! Why didn't you just speak up!?"

Link rubbed his cheek and kept his eyes on the stone road, carefully placing one foot over the other. "I can't help it!" he exclaimed. "People just make me… really uncomfortable. Especially in a city like this, where there are so _many_ of them!" A nearby pedestrian turned his head to look curiously at the man in the strange green clothes that seemed to be talking to himself. Link's ears turned a slight shade of red under the gaze, and he quickened his pace.

Midna crossed her arms, scowling. "Link, these are the people you're trying to save!" she hissed. "What's the point of protecting them if you can't even look any of them in the eye?"

"They don't need to know who I am, really," Link said quietly, not wanting to draw any more attention from the crowd. "They just need to be safe. That's enough for me."

Midna sighed and gave his hair a quick tug. "You really need to learn to care about yourself sometimes, moron," she said, annoyance creeping into her voice. Link glanced over his shoulder to give his companion a playful grin as they made their way out of the southern gate and into the middle of Hyrule Field.

"Oh yeah? I dunno, I think you already do that enough for the both of us," he said, his grin stretching wider at her furious expression.

"You know what?" she growled, "I take it all back. Stay quiet around other people. If you talked to anyone else as much as you do to me, you'd probably be dead in a gutter somewhere by now."

"Aw, how sweet of you to look out for me," he replied with sarcastic charm in his voice. Midna resisted her urge to strangle him. Link ventured off the main path of the field and approached a wall of boulders that had been blocking a small mountain pass. He swung the sack off his shoulder and casually began to set bombs against the huge mass of rocks. "It's strange, though," he said, not looking up from his work. "I never feel uncomfortable when I'm talking to you."

"I guess I'm just that charming," she replied, watching him ignite the fuses of the bombs while she rested over his shoulder. Link grunted and ran off to take cover behind a nearby outcrop of rocks. The Twilight Princess and the Hero both covered their ears with their hands, and a massive explosion drowned out the sound of anything else in the field for a second.

Slowly, they both poked their heads out from behind the outcrop in an almost comical unison of motion. A few billows of smoke cleared to reveal a few crumbled piles of rock where boulders had once stood. Link dusted himself off and stood slowly, cracking his neck a bit and sticking a finger in his ringing ear.

"Midna, if you're charming, then I'm half cuckoo," Link snorted, only to inhale some dust and fall into a coughing fit. Midna floated over to sit on his hacking form.

"That's entirely possible, considering how tiny your brain is," the Twili grumbled, crossing her legs. The Hylian grunted and shoved Midna's shadowy figure off of him, crawling slowly back to his feet.

"You know, now _I'm_ really starting to question why I talk to you, of all people," Link grumbled back, adjusting his hat.

Midna rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah, because you have so many other pals to chat with. Maybe Epona will talk to you about her feelings some time," she said with a giggle at the young man's scowl.

"I'm sure Epona would be a lot nicer," he huffed, making his way down the newly cleared path.

"Sure," Midna replied, floating around him in lazy circles, "But she might end up being more talkative than you. Unbalanced conversation is never fun!" Link shook his head with a sigh and fell into an aggravated silence. The imp by his side smirked victoriously.

As the duo made their way down to Faron Field, the morning sun made its journey into the upper reaches of the atmosphere, sending tendrils of warmth across the land. It was a clear, blue day that felt so pleasant, it was almost possible to forget that the futures of both the Twilight Realm and Hyrule were balanced precariously on a needle-thin scale of life and death.

Almost.

As they emerged from the mountain pass and into the open fields of Faron, the Hero smiled and made his way down to a tree, taking a short rest in the shade it provided. The light that fell against the low branches of the tree was filtered by the canopy of leaves, casting dappled specks of light and shadow in interwoven patterns against the ground that swayed with the wind. He reached down to pull up a few clumps of wet grass, keeping his eyes closed and enjoying the crisp smell of fresh air.

"Hey, Midna," he said slowly, breaking the silence they'd fallen into during their walk. The imp's shadow materialized before him, looking up with curious red eyes. "I've never been able to talk with anyone the way I can with you," the Hylian spoke softly, without the usual hint of teasing playfulness in his tone. "Maybe it's just because no one else has really tried before… Before I met you, I didn't realize I had so much I wanted to say."

Midna stared silently at the young man before her, finding herself searching for some kind of snappy comeback, only to come up short of ideas. He opened those blue eyes his and looked down at her with a soft smile. "Thank you, Midna," he said with a few rays of light dancing across his cheeks through the leaves above. "Thank you for being my friend."

How was she supposed to come up with some kind of response to that when he was giving her a smile that made her entire body feel like it was vibrating out of control?

Midna coughed awkwardly, making her body slip away hazily into shadows. "D… don't be," she stammered from her dark hiding place. "What we have is strictly a business relationship. Friendship has nothing to do with it." Her voice grew cocky and jibing, although the Twili still remained hidden in the darkness. "Remember, I'm just using you to get what I need. You're more like an errand-boy than a friend, and an incompetent one at that- don't you forget it!"

Link's smile twisted into a playful smirk, and he closed his eyes to rest his head against the back of the tree once more, falling into a knowing silence.

The Twilight Princess didn't have to admit to the hero that he was more precious to her than anything the simple word "friend" could attempt to describe. They both knew without saying a word.


	2. Chapter 2: Advantages

_Author's Note: Hey everyone, just wanted to say, thanks for all the favorites/follows/reviews; they really encourage me to keep writing! This chapter is really short, so I figured I'd upload it early. I'll also be updating Monday as usual, so no worries! Until then!_

* * *

"Well, don't _you_ look comfortable?" Link rolled over onto his side to smirk at the tiny imp laying next to him. Midna huffed and wiggled deeper into the goofy green hat she was currently using as a sleeping bag.

"As a matter of fact, I am- you should be thankful that I finally found a decent use for this stupid hat," the Twili replied haughtily. A warm orange glow radiated from a nearby campfire, reflecting against the curves of the young man's face as he rolled his eyes and twisted around to lay on his back.

The traveling companions had set up camp in a small enclave that granted them a clear view of the starlit sky despite the wall of huge, mossy trees surrounding them. Link rested his head against a log covered in a soft green fuzz as he stared up into the night. The fire crackled noisily against the silence.

Midna was just beginning to drift to sleep when Link's voice rolled out slowly from his lips. "Hey, Midna," he said in his usual, soft voice. "What's your true form like?"

The imp blinked a bit in surprise as the young man's voice drifted towards her; it was rare that he started a conversation. "Why do you ask?" she replied drowsily, curling her body up into a ball inside his hat and enjoying the warmth.

"Just curious, I guess… you don't seem to mind your current form too much," Link said as he reached under himself to remove a leaf that had been scratching uncomfortably against his back.

"It… has its advantages…" Midna replied slowly. Though she would have never said it aloud to anyone, she was beginning to enjoy sleeping in her friend's hat at night. The cloth- a rare luxury back in her own world- was simple and comfortable, and it carried a musky scent that had an almost magical way of putting her at ease. Somehow, it managed to keep her usual nightmares away. She had never been able to sleep easily. Midna buried her face in the fabric, looking up at Link.

Sometimes she wondered; was it the hat that helped or sleep, or was it him?

"So," Link continued, "What's your other form like?" He turned his head to look at her. Midna thought for a moment.

"Taller," she stated simply, then rolled over to turn her back to those curious blue eyes of his. He responded with a soft hum, and then reached out to poke her side. The Twilight Princess flinched with a tiny squeak.

"That's it? It's just taller?" he asked his curiosity too intense for him to just let his friend sleep in peace.

"Oh yeah, and I just _ooze_ sex appeal! You wouldn't be able to keep your filthy paws off me!" Midna snarled, pulling a tiny arm out from her makeshift sleeping bag to swat Link's poking finger away. "Now let me sleep, fleabag!"

"As you command, Your Grumpiness," Link replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Oh, he wanted to play that game, did he? Fine, he was asking for it.

Midna smirked as she heard a surprised yelp from her companion. She turned back around to see him transformed into his beast form. He glared at her and barked angrily, which only made her burst into a fit of giggling. The little imp floated over to him and plopped down in the soft dirt against his side, patting his warm flank.

"Well, aren't you a good doggy?" she asked with a high pitched laugh, ruffling his fur and ignoring his growling. She rested her head against his side, enjoying the sensation of his fur curling against her skin. "And you make such a great pillow! Looks like this form has its advantages too, huh furball?" The wolf snorted in response, curling his body around her to get as comfortable as he could. Midna giggled triumphantly, pulling Link's hat up around herself once more

As she closed her eyes, she inhaled gently, letting the scent of musky fabric and messy fur roll over her like a soothing blanket. Link's breathing grew slow and steady, and she felt her head rise and fall to the rhythm of it. Eventually, the only sounds left in the cool night were her companions light snores and the popping of the campfire. A small smile played across her lips as she drifted off without fear of nightmares plaguing her in the darkness of sleep.

This entire situation definitely had its advantages.


	3. Chapter 3: Only Rain

For some reason, Link couldn't stop screaming. It was as if all those years of silence that had pooled up within him over the years were finally set free in the form of a wild, unrestrained howl. Without mercy or patience, the hero bludgeoned at Ganondorf with his blade. There was no technique or elegance to the Master Sword's movements; it was as if the legendary blade had been reduced to nothing but a primal club filled with the Hylian's sheer rage.

Ganondorf held the blade of the Seven Sages in his giant fist, and it glowed with a warm, eternal light. A savage grin stretched across his features as he artfully deflected each of Link's reckless blows, not even bothering to counterattack. Since they had entered their one on one duel, not a single attack had so much as grazed the Dark Lord. The orange gloom of twilight oozed across the sky, and thunder rumbled in the distance.

A barrier of glowing light left the two swordsmen enclosed in an arena, and after knocking aside yet another strike from his opponent, Ganondorf suddenly lashed out with a savage kick, not even bothering to use his blade. Link barely managed to react in time to pull his shield up and block the attack, narrowly avoiding having his ribcage crushed. The force of the kick sent the swordsman sprawling back into the dirt, falling gracelessly onto his face.

Princess Zelda clutched the folds of her dress tightly on the other side of the magic wall, terrified. This wasn't how things were supposed to happen! Good was supposed to triumph over evil! The hero was supposed to be winning this fight!

Instead, it just looked like he was being played with like a chew toy.

A gust of wind sent Ganondorf's cloak twirling in motion and brought a wave of water droplets with it. The dull glow of twilight was squeezed out by the stormclouds as a thick rainfall rippled across the landscape of rolling hills and mountains. The Dark Lord released a low chuckle as water began to pour down his face and cascade through the grooves and curves of his armor. Water streamed down his glowing blade and reflected its light as it fell, illuminating the side of the huge man against the rest of the hill's shadows.

"I was hoping you'd be stronger than this, boy," Ganondorf rumbled as he took a few casual, slow steps towards Link's fallen form. The hero weakly tried to stand to his feet, only to find the hulking Gerudo man towering over him before he was ready. With a casual flick of his leg, Ganondorf delivered a kick to Link's side that broke a rib and sent him rolling across the ground to the other side of their arena. The young Hylian hissed in pain as he slammed up against the magical wall- it burned him at the touch.

Link clutched his side in agony, a pool of his own saliva forming at the ground and mixing with the downpour of rain in thick grey puddles. With a groan, he stood, wavering in pain and exhaustion from wasting so much of his energy on his earlier reckless attacks. He felt like a knife had been lodged between his ribs, and his sword might as well have been made of lead.

Ganondorf walked forward, a smile never leaving his lips, as his long cloak billowed wildly behind him. "Is this really all the strength you can muster to fight me?" he rumbled. His voice was confident and deep against the din of the pouring rain. "The fate of this world rests in your hands, you know- do you really care so little about it?" The Dark Lord's tone was almost conversational, as if he were asking what the Hero wanted to eat for dinner instead of inquiring about the end of the world.

He couldn't help himself. He screamed again.

With a sudden burst of fury, the Hero ignored the protests of his body and made a wild dash towards his enemy. Ganondorf's eyes widened ever so slightly, and then settled on the swordsman's movements. He calmly blocked each attack, not allowing himself to fall into Link's intensity, until finally, his nostrils flared.

" _Enough_!" he boomed. With a single sweep of his oversized blade, he brought down a blow so devastatingly powerful against the Master Sword that the crackling of Link's arm breaking could be heard. The blade of legend fell to the mud, glowing faintly. Link howled in pain, stepping back and clutching his left forearm. Rain fell into his face, obscuring his vision.

" _Link! Look out!_ " Zelda screamed in horror from the other side of the barrier. She was helpless to do anything but watch as a wickedly grinning Ganondorf walked towards the staggering Hero, rolling one shoulder in front of the other with a confident, powerful stride. The Dark Lord casually threw his sword into the mud, and Link glanced up just a second too late to react as Ganondorf's enormous fist collided with his face with the force of a falling building. Link's body was flung against the barrier with such speed that it rebounded against the wall of magic.

Ganon continued to walk slowly towards the crumpled form of his enemy. Even now, Link tried weakly to stand. "I see it in your eyes," he said, his dark voice rippling with amusement. "You aren't fighting for this world. You aren't some valiant, humble hero with nothing but good in your heart. We aren't two pure forces of good and evil; you are no hero, and I am no god. We are simple people, flesh and blood. We are the same in that way- imperfect."

The Dark Lord casually bent over and picked up Link by the hair, lifting him off the ground as if he were nothing more than a wet puppy. The green hat Midna loved so much was gathering mud somewhere on the ground. "You're fighting for hatred. You're fighting because I killed your little _friend_ , aren't you?"

Link's nostrils flared and he screamed louder than ever, even though his throat was ruined. He screamed and screamed and screamed, kicking and thrashing against Ganondorf's iron grip with all of his strength. The Gerudo man simply laughed and flung Link into another side of the barrier, his powerful muscles flexing with the pleasurable sensation of releasing force.

Zelda watched from the sidelines, her jaw tightening as she forced herself to watch. _I will not cry._ Ganondorf's grin grew bestial as he walked over to Link's curled, trembling body. _I will not cry._ Her shaking hands slowly rose to cover her eyes as Ganondorf squatted over the Hero, delivering one punch after the next with savage laughter, pummeling the very hope of any future Hyrule had into the mud with each blow. It was only hot rain rolling down her cheeks. _I will not cry._ It was only rain.

Ganondorf stood, not done playing with his food yet. He grabbed the broken Hero by the tunic and flung him across the battlefield yet again. "Pathetic!" Ganondorf roared over the rain as he walked towards him ever slowly. His voice had suddenly shifted from amused to enraged without a moment's notice. "In my homeland, I have watched too many of my people die of thirst because we had no water. I have held too many loved ones as they died of hunger because we had no food. All the while the people of Hyrule scorned and hated us for becoming thieves, when we had no other choice to survive! A world like that, where people suffer eternally while others bask in prosperity without a clue… a world like that doesn't need to exist!"

Thunder crackled in the distance, and the wind howled and screeched as it tore at the Dark Lord's cape. Ganondorf gripped his foe by the front of his tunic, lifting him high in the air. Link's blue eyes opened weakly, caked with mud, matted hair and bloody bruises. His eyes bore into Ganondorf's, full of a feral hatred that looked like it belonged more to a wolf than a human. Ganondorf stared back with a calm, level yellow gaze.

"Now, I ask you again…" Ganondorf said, his voice low. "What are you fighting for, hero? For this world that you have so much faith in? Or for something even smaller than that? For a petty little emotion. For a little friend that doesn't even _exist_ anymore? Can't you see that while you fight for something so temporary, the rest of the world around you is destined to rot? You have no ambition. You have no cause. You want to use hatred to fuel your fight against me, but that hate is but one candle held to my own wildfire, and you are too disgustingly weak and vapid to do anything but add to my flames."

With a twisted frown, Ganondorf flung Link to the mud and reached down to pick up his blade. He turned and placed its tip against the center of Link's chest. "Now, die easily so I can finish cleansing this disgusting world."

Link stared listlessly up into the murky sky, raindrops falling against his eyelashes. Ah. So this was how he was going to die. He thought heard Zelda screaming in the distance, but it was too far away to feel real. Midna had told him that once, Hylians had believed that the Twilight Realm was a place for souls to go once they left their bodies. If that was true, did that mean that he could see her again? He made no sound as Ganondorf's glowing blade slowly pierced his chest and blood began to pour into the ground. He was beyond feeling pain at this point. It really was a beautiful sword. He could see Midna again. He would like that.


	4. Chapter 4: Destiny

_Guess who secretly had a chapter written this whole time and never posted it! This guy! After much silly ado, I proudly jump back into this story. Rereading it all, I remember all the things I had planned for this story, and I want to see those happen! After this chapter, expect much better writing in the future, because I've been practicing this whole time and this story deserves to be told with elegance and grace!_

* * *

 _What the fuck do you think you're doing!? Get up, Link!_

Midna tried to scream, but of course, no words came out. That's right- she had died. It was easy to forget that.

She didn't really know how to describe the sensation of being dead. She was just… aware. Right now, her awareness was floating over the so-called battle between good and evil. Some battle! Link getting kicked around like a sack of potatoes! He _needed_ her! That stupid fleabag was totally incompetent without her help!

" **You cannot help him now."**

Midna didn't hear, but _felt_ voice around herself. It wasn't even a voice- it felt more like a constantly changing jumble of voices, all fused together. She shifted her consciousness back and forth, but couldn't find the source of the words. Somehow, though, she knew it belonged to the four spirits of light. She heard Zelda call out down below, and she shifted her attention in time to see Ganondorf pummeling Link into the mud with his bare fists.

The Twilight Princess screamed silently. _I need to get down there! I have to help! I can help him! I know I can!_

" **You cannot,"** the four spirits whispered. They were everywhere, and nowhere. **"Your time in this middle world is over. It is time for you to move on to eternity."**

She snarled viciously as the Dark Lord flung her hero into the mud. That was _her_ errand-boy that needed help down there. No one else was allowed to touch him! _You expect me to just abandon him now, when he needs me most!?_ Her awareness was howling with fury. _There has to be some way! Some way for me to help him!_

She could feel the spirits' sudden uneasiness, as if they were discussing something controversial between themselves. Finally their voices returned, a little hesitant. **"There… is a way. It is possible to trade one's immortality after death for a second chance in the world of the living… but… such a thing would be unheard of. It would destroy the wheel of destiny."**

 _You think I care about destiny!? I don't care what you need to do, just make it happen and be quick about it!_

" **You would trade your immortal soul for a second chance at life!?"** the spirits proclaimed, incredulous. **"It is possible you could spend immortality with him after his death! Why would you throw that chance away!?"**

If Midna had eyes, she would have rolled them. _I'm not one to gamble... I would rather have a few guaranteed seconds with him than some random chance at eternity. It's not just for Link, either. This world, my people… they need me now. Maybe I'm selfish, but this is what I want. This is what I need._

" **This… this is not how things are supposed to be…"** the spirits whispered. **"This is not destiny..."**

Midna gasped soundlessly as Ganondorf placed the tip of his blade at Link's chest. _I don't give a shit about you or your fucking destiny! Just do it!_

" **... Very well, Midna,"** the spirits spoke. Slowly, their physical forms emerged from the pouring rainclouds above, separating them to create a column of light in the sky. **"We are moved by your noble heart. We shall grant you… this wish…"**

 _Link!_ Midna tried to scream in horror as she watched Ganondorf plunge his blade into the Hero's chest. _Link!_ She felt herself stretching and burning as flesh and tissue were formed out of light. The Hylian was staring up at the sky as his blood poured onto the ground.

" _LIIIIIIIIIIINK!_ "

The Twilight Princess fell from the sky with fury burning in her eyes, plummeting towards the ground like a bomb from above. Wind and rain tore through the imp's hair, and she stretched out her open palms towards Ganondorf's back. With a wordless cry, green disks of magical energy exploded out of her hands in rapid fire, assaulting the Dark Lord's spine with a thundering barrage.

Ganondorf gasped in shock, stumbling slightly before rolling out of the way of the blasts. Midna slowed her fall right before hitting the ground, hovering over it and zipping across the muddy hill with incredible speed. Her writhing orange hair extended to yank the Master Sword out of the mud as she flew towards Ganondorf without any sign of slowing down. His mouth twisted into a sadistic grin and he laughed darkly.

"First you drain me of my power, and now you come back from the dead to challenge me?" His grin broadened as he spoke. "What a troublesome little imp you are, Twilight Princess! Perhaps I shall have a worthy challenge after all!"

Midna wasted no time with words. Flying so quickly her arms and legs trailed behind her, she barreled towards the imposing form of the Dark Lord. She twisted her body sideways spun like a pinwheel in a hurricane, unleashing a slash with the Master Sword powered by pure speed as her hair lagged with the motion. Ganondorf grunted and held his arms over his face with surprising speed for his size, crossing his forearms in the shape of an X.

The blade of legend lodged itself in the man's muscle, cutting deep but catching the sword.. Midna's body rippled with the jolt of hitting thick flesh, and the force of connecting the blow halted her spinning motion. With a grunt, the bleeding man lashed his foot out to counter-attack with a kick. Midna gritted her teeth, then forced her body to spin in the opposite direction, her hair following her motion and ripping the sword out of Ganondorf's forearms as she flipped backwards, narrowly avoiding the bone-crushing boot by a few inches. The ripping motion pulled a circular arc of crimson blood and clear water droplets against the vertical wall of falling rain. As she lept away, she held her palms out and unleashed another volley of magical disks. A few of the blasts connected, exploding with crackling energy against the man's armor before he lept out of the way.

"A little unfair to attack a man with his back turned and his sword down, don't you think?" Ganondorf asked as he laughed deeply. His majestic cape was torn and burned from Midna's attacks but he paid it no mind. Burning red blood oozed down his wounded forearms but rather than show any signs of pain, he simply laughed harder.

Midna's lips twisted into a snarl of disgust. "Unfair!?" she hissed, launching more bolts of energy at him. "You want to talk about unfair!? How about the way you stole my kingdom, my power… _everything_ from me!?" Ganondorf rolled and twisted across the muddy hilltop, avoiding most of the attacks before managing to make his way to Link's bleeding form. "I still have things I need to do and people I need to save," Midna growled, lowering her hands and gathering her powers for another burst of speed. Her hair began to rise as the magical energy built up inside of her body, threatening to explode. "You're just an obstacle. I don't have time to waste fighting you now."

Rain continued to plummet insistently, and with a chuckle, Ganondorf ripped the glowing blade out of Link's chest, gripping the hilt upside-down before twisting the greatsword around to hold properly with both hands. "Then show me how important these things are to you, Twilight Princess," he rumbled, his voice shaking like thunder. "And we shall see who has the strongest desire."


End file.
